London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ealing 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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Samples taken to ensure that they were genuine and reached the required standards for fat and mi Ik solids other than fat were also subjected to the prescribed tests for designated milk with the following satisfactory results:-
| Designation | No. of Samples | Phosphate | Test | Methylene Blue Test | Turbidity Test | Colony Count Test | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | Fail | Pass | Fail | Pass | FaiI | Pass | Fail | ||
| Pasteurised | 44 | 44 | — | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| SteriIised | 15 | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — |
| Untreated | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ultra Heat Treated | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — |
| TOTALS: | 66 | 44 | — | 44 | — | 15 | — | 7 | — |
Raw Milk Supplies
As a result of a request from the Public Health
Laboratory Service, the sampling of raw mi Ik for the
detection of brucella abortus was continued at the only
farm in the borough engaged in milk production. Eighteen
samples were taken and submitted to the ring test which
proved to be negative in all cases.
Ice Cream
Five premises were registered for the sale and storage of
ice cream and one for manufacture bringing the totals at
the end of the year to 483 premises for sale and storage
and 9 for manufacture. Routine inspections were made at
regular intervals of the manufacturers premises to ensure
compliance with the Food Hygiene (General) and Ice
Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations.
Systematic sampling of ice cream and ice lollies was carried out with the following results:-
| Commodity | Number of | Methylene Blue Grade | Not Graded | Grades I or II Satisfactory | Grade II Doubtful | Grade IV Unsatisfactory | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samples | I | II | III | IV | |||||
| Ice Cream (Local Manufacturers) | 208 | 151 | 27 | 7 | 23 | — | 178 | 7 | 23 |
| Ice Cream (Other Manufacturers) | 40 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 8 | — | 27 | 5 | 8 |
| Ice Lollies (Local Manufacturers) | 26 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 26 | — | — |
| Ice Lollies (Other Manufacturers) | 10 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 10 | — | |
| TOTALS | 284 | 176 | 29 | 12 | 31 | 36 | 241 | 12 | 31 |
"The figures given in the table above include the following samples obtained from itinerant traders and from soft ice cream dispensing machines."
| Ice Cream Samples from Vans | 32 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 3 | - | 22 | 7 | 3 |
| Soft Ice Cream samples | 49 | 34 | 4 | 3 | 8 | - | 38 | 3 | 8 |
Soft ice cream samples invariably provide a large
proportion of unsatisfactory samples as the need for very
careful cleaning and sterilising of the equipment at the
end of the day is not always appreciated. More satisfactory
samples are normally obtained after advice is given by
the Public Health Inspectors.
Registration of Hawkers of Food and their Storage
Premises
In accordance with the requirements of Section 11 of the
Middlesex County Council Act 1950, 9 hawkers were
registered leaving a total of such traders on the register
at the end of the year of 38. Before registration is
recommended a careful inspection is made of the vehicle
to be used and of the storage premises. The main
categories of business involved are greengrocery, grocery,
shellfish, ice cream and "hot dogs".
Registration of Premises for the Preparation of Sausages
and Preserved Foods
At the end of the year there were 151 premises on the
register there having been no new premises registered
during the year.